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Show 99 he began to blow on the harmonica. "Waltz Me Around Again, Willie," he played, and Henry climbed on a chair to sing, "Around and around and around." Hugo bent to circle his arm around Maggie Rose's waist. Laughing up at him, she cried, "Let me take my apron off, for Lord's sake!" Kathleen leaned against the wall, smiling as she watched her tall, broad father and her short, sturdy mother swoop among the couples of thick-paunched men. Then the skinniest, shortest man in the crowd strutted forward to ask Kathleen to dance. "It's a grand night this is, Kathleen," Mayo Culley shouted above the noise. "Let you come out then to dance with me." "I'd be honored, Mr. Culley." Holding out her arms, standing half a head taller than Mayo Culley, she dipped a graceful curtsy. As they began to dance, Mayo kicked a few Irish jig steps into the waltz, saying, "Me hand may be maimed, but there's nothin' wrong with these two feet." "There certainly isn't," Kathleen agreed, laughing. Maggie Rose was laughing, too, twirling in Hugo's arms until she caught sight of Kathleen with Mayo Culley. She stopped so abruptly that Hugo stumbled. "Kathleen!" she cried, in a voice piercing enough to cut through the clamor in the kitchen like a bullet through glass. Bright spots of color flamed in Kathleen's cheeks, but she ignored her mother and went on waltzing with Mayo. Some of the men |
